Paracroton pendulus

Paracroton pendulus
Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Genus:	Paracroton
Species:	P. pendulus
Binomial name
Paracroton pendulus (Hassk.) Miq.
Subspecies [2]
Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus(Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr.
Synonyms [3]
Blumeodendron muelleriKurz Croton pendulusHassk. Fahrenheitia collinaRchb. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg. Fahrenheitia pendula(Hassk.) Airy Shaw Ostodes collina(Rchb. & Zoll. ex Müll.Arg.) Pax Ostodes macrophylla(Müll.Arg.) Benth. & Hook.f. Ostodes pendula(Hassk.) A.Meeuse Ostodes serratocrenataMerr. Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus Trigonostemon macrophyllus(Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg. Tritaxis macrophyllaMüll.Arg.

Paracroton pendulus is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree native to the Western Ghats of southwestern India, Sri Lanka, southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines. ^{[2] [1]}

It is a canopy or subcanopy tree in tropical moist evergreen forests from 150 to 1800 meters elevation. ^[4]

Description

• Leaves - simple, alternate; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate; apex acuminate; margin serrate.
• Flowers - unisexual flowers are dioecious. inflorescence is panicled pendulous racemes.
• Fruits - globose brownish tomentose capsule.
• Uses - timber, medicine. red sap is known to have irritating ability. ^[5]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are accepted. ^[2]

• Paracroton pendulus subsp. pendulus – southern Myanmar to the Philippines
• Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus(Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr. (synonyms Desmostemon zeylanicusThwaites, Fahrenheitia zeylanica(Thwaites) Airy Shaw, Ostodes zeylanica(Thwaites) Müll.Arg., and Trigonostemon zeylanicus(Thwaites) Müll.Arg.) – southwestern India and Sri Lanka ^[6]

References

1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. 2018. Paracroton pendulus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T135805578A135805580. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135805578A135805580.en. Accessed 11 August 2025.
2. "Paracroton pendulus (Hassk.) Miq". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 11 August 2025.
3. "Paracroton pendulus (Hassk.) Miq. — The Plant List". theplantlist.org.
4. "Paracroton pendulus - EUPHORBIACEAE". biotik.org.
5. "Paracroton pendulus". asianplant.net.
6. "Paracroton pendulus subsp. zeylanicus (Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakr". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 11 August 2025.